Report Card: A for McCrory, F for deregulation

Gov. Pat McCrory

The Report Card issues grades A through F, and incompletes where necessary, to a variety of news items in this space. Got an idea that makes the grade? Send it to JBuchanan@CITIZEN-TIMES.com

Reader grade

A to Kenilworth resident Valerie Hoh for taking Chris Dixon's Sunday Aug. 24 commentary on mayoral candidates to task for his vastly oversimplistic and overreaching summary of events surrounding Frank Howington's development ideas for property along upper Caledonia Road ? and glug (F) to Dixon. His whole essay is a strange mingling of concepts ? is he running for mayor? Is this his platform?

Briggs Sherwood, Asheville

Staff grades

A for the pending dedication of a N.C. Highway Historical Marker commemorating legendary singer Jimmie Rodgers. "The Father of Country Music,'' Rodgers moved here in 1927 and made his first on-air appearances on WWNC radio. The state Department of Cultural Resources notes "Rodgers played live weekly with his friend Otis Kuykendall on WWNC, beginning in April 1927. Other musicians were added and the group was known as the Tenneva Ramblers and later as the Jimmie Rodgers Entertainers. WWNC featured old-time country musicians and broadcast from the Flat Iron Building.'' Sunday marks Jimmie Rodgers Day in Asheville; events include dedication of a N.C. Highway Historical Marker at 2 p.m., at Haywood Street at Battery Park Avenue, a parade with street musicians and performers leading to a ticketed musical celebration at the Asheville Music Hall at 4 p.m. For information on the highway marker dedication, please call (919) 807-7290. For information on the musical celebration, visit http://ashevillemusichall.com/music-schedule/event/jimmie-rodgers-day/.

A to the Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity, celebrating its 30th anniversary. A daylong celebration is set for Saturday including food and activities 11 a.m.-4 p.m. at Habitat's ReStore on Meadow Road. In addition to a 30 percent off sale there will be a silent auction that began Tuesday and will end Saturday that features unique items donated by the historic Omni Grove Park Inn. "There is a direct correlation between Grove Park Inn merchandise and increased ReStore sales, and that ultimately means more funding for our housing programs," Habitat executive director Lew Kraus said. Founded in 1983, Habitat completed its first house in 1985. It completed its 200th in 2010. Learn more at ashevillehabitat.org.

A to Gov. Pat McCrory for "finding'' $10 million to give 3,000 teachers a pay raise when they complete graduate degrees. McCrory's discovery comes after months of bad blood between his administration and public school officials, who say North Carolina is on a direction that's bad for current students. It also comes after years of no pay increase for teachers and on the heels of a controversy sparked when the governor gave young staffers promotions and hefty salary hikes. But finding the money to compensate teachers who get advanced degrees is the right move, said Anna Austin, of the 900-member Buncombe County Association of Educators. "I'd like to know where he found that," she said. "I'd like to see his piggy bank."

F to stories of deregulation run completely amok coming out of Texas. Back on April 17 an explosion fueled by ammonium nitrate at a fertilizer plant left 15 people dead and more than 300 injured, while doing an estimated $135 million in property damage. Lawmakers in the Lone Star state are looking at addressing the situation with new regulations for moving, insuring and storing ammonium nitrate but are hitting some roadblocks. For example, Texas House Homeland Security and Public Safety Committee members were told five companies that use ammonium nitrate wouldn't let the state fire marshal inspect their facilities. That's legal, as Texas doesn't have a state fire code and companies must grant permission for inspections. That is an outrage and a disservice to, among others, first responders. Twelve of the victims in the West blast were first responders who had no idea what they were dealing with. As North Carolina rushes forward with deregulation, we hope some cautionary tales will be heeded.

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Report Card: A for McCrory, F for deregulation

The Report Card issues grades A through F, and incompletes where necessary, to a variety of news items in this space.